The present invention relates to a system and method for playing games of chance. More particularly, the present inventions relates to a system and method for playing games of chance without having to insert or withdraw cash from machines on which games of chance are played.
Cashless transaction systems are required for some gaming applications. In addition, the applicant has discovered that gaming players often desire a simple, familiar method of transferring funds in and out of gaming devices or game-of-chance terminals without inserting or withdrawing cash at the gaming devices or terminals themselves. The applicant has also discovered that game players often desire anonymity and that players often desire a spontaneous ability to convert cash to game play credits.
Most cashless systems in the prior art require a player to establish a player account at a cashier""s desk or terminal. However, the requirement to establish an account in this fashion often causes undesirable and disconcerting delays in, among other things, commencement of a game of chance. This account establishment requirement also reduces the ability of the player to remain anonymous. Since many players would prefer to remain anonymous, the account establishment requirement can significantly diminish the attractiveness of playing games of chance on gaming systems or devices that are subject to such a requirement.
Although other prior art systems have also provided the player with the ability to transfer funds from gaming device to gaming device via a printed voucher, they typically have required that the player insert cash funds into a gaming devicexe2x80x94an apparatus on which the player actually plays or can play a game of chancexe2x80x94to initiate game credit deposits. This is unworkable in certain jurisdictions as well as less than optimal for players who prefer not to deal with insertion of funds at the gaming devices or transfer of funds (such as heavy or voluminous cups of coins) from one game of chance to another or from a game of chance to a cashier in order to cash in the awarded coins for cash or other credit.
The applicant has invented a gaming system and method for a game player to play a game of chance without ever having to insert or withdraw cash at the gaming devices themselves. The player provides input remuneration, such as cash, to a cash exchange terminal. The player receives a cashless voucher from the cash exchange terminal, and the cashless voucher has indicia on it indicating the value of the cashless voucher. The player takes the voucher to a gaming device and inserts the cashless voucher into the gaming device in order to establish credit at the gaming device and initiate play on the gaming device. Upon termination of play at the gaming device, the player receives a new the cashless voucher if the player has a credit or award balance due to the player at the time of termination of play. The new cashless voucher has indicia reflecting any such credit or award balance awarded.
Preferably, the player may then exchange the new cashless voucher for remuneration or an award based on the credit or award balance indicated on the voucher. This exchange preferably takes place at the cash exchange terminal.
Preferably, the player may alternatively utilize the new cashless voucher to commence play at a second gaming device. In the event that play terminates at this second gaming device with yet another credit or award balance remaining for the player at the second gaming device, the second gaming device preferably issues yet another new cashless voucher to the player reflecting such credit or award balance for the player at the second gaming device.
Preferably, the gaming devices and cash exchange terminal are interconnected on a communications network, such as a LAN. Preferably, the various indicia printed on the various vouchers are encrypted according to a security algorithm.
There are other aspects of the present invention. They will become apparent as this specification proceeds.